The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-23
A REMARKABLE PICTURE.
Painting in the Art Exhibit Collection
That Is Attracting Special Attention.

''The Entombment of Christ one of the
largest paintings in the art exhibit at Masonic
Hall, is attracting much attention and receives
closer study by reason of the grandeur Of the
subject than any painting in the collection. 1t
is true dramatic art and the work of Italian
painter, Giacomo Favretto, who has reached
high place among the artists of the day.
Favretto is Venetian who. after study in
Rome, went to Paris, where he remained for
several years. He has received medals at Rome
and Turin; also at Boston, where one of his
pictures, 1.-THE Lottery" was shown in the great
foreign exposition of 1883. The story of the en-
mbment as told in Matthew xvii 57-61, fur
nishes the theme of the picture:
When the eve Z was come there came rich of
Arimathea named Joseph who, also, was himself
Jesus disciple
He went to Plate and begged the body of Jesus.
Then PLATE commanded the body to be delivered.
And when Joseph had taken the body he wrapped it
in clean. linen CLOTH
And laid it in his tomb, which he had hewn
ont in the rock and he rolled great stone the door
of the sepulcher and departed.
And there was Mary Magdalene. and the other Mary,
sitting over against the sepulcaer.
The scene is further described in Geike's Life
of Christ: 1.-THE neighborhood of Jerusalem,
like all other parts of Palestine, abounded in
and rich men desired above all things to prepare
for themselves and their families an everlasting
house, land such tomb, never yet used, had been
hewn out in the hillside for himself by Joseph
of Arimathea. in garden not far from Calvary.
70 this the body of Jesus was taken. Nicode-
mus had come with some of his servants, and he
and they, with Joseph and his attendants and
Mary of Magdalene, and Mary, the mother OF
James the Less and of Joses; the wife of
Clopas, and perhaps some others of the true
hearted women from Gailee were the only fol-
lowers of his bier.
The painting represents the sad procession
conveying the body of the Savior to the tomb
There are beside the body seven figures. three OF
men and four of women. These figures. though
not cf life size. appear to be so. The time Is
just . sunset, when the sky, after the great
tragedy, had become clear again There is
nothing to detract from the figures in the way
of background, the sky being simply done,
while the dim perspective of earth has streak
of crimson from the receding sun, typifying the
close of bloody deed The venerable Nico-
seph of Arimathea, are carrying the burden in a
cloth. feet foremost, while Joseph is
at the head The grief of the men
is deep, stern and fearless, while
their grief. The body is indeed that of dead
man, the realism being beyond question. The
face is hageard. agony being imprinted deep
upon it. An arm falls outside the cloth and
not had time to stffen and become set. A
strange halo, the specter of halo is about the
head of the dead Christ, and this touch of art
adds to the deeply tragic pathos of the picture.
The coloring Of the costumes is resplerdently
rich. In this can be seen the influence of the
old masters upon this Italian painter, who has
been environed by the relics of their art. In ad-
dition to these rich robes the painting has the
benefit of French technique. The drapery is
better than was usual with the old masters. and
shows that the French school in which Favratto
continued his education has had an imror sar
influence. Yet the painting does not shine with
that high enthusiasm that marked the work of
the old masters in sacred subjects There is no
| more religious sentiment in Favrettos Entomb-
| ment than appears III Munkacsys Christ Be.
| fore Plate" This comes of the painters mod
| ern training the studios OF Paris ard the studies
| of the painter at the Morgue having made him
realistic and dramatic, rather than given to ven.
| Grafton for sacred things. s.
| Three new paintings were received and given
| place in the collection yesterday. The first,
Morning on Loeb Fyne," in Argylshire, Scot
| land. is by Parton, and painted especially
| for this exhibition. A Scotch gentleman who
| saw it yesterday was very enthusiastic in his
praise as to its fidelity to nature. He said he
| had gone up and down the mountain road shown
| in the picture thousand times. knew
/ every foot of the way, and that the
| painting was perfect. The other two
| paintings from the easel of Otto Stark, who
| can be claimed Indianapolitan. He wen1
| time he engaged in TYPOGRAPHY, after which hi
! went to New York, and from there to Paris
where he has spent two and half years under
competent teachers. The paintings have con
siderable merit. One is entitled ''Indolence
the other "a Harbor Scene"
Carl Bremen. of Louisville. who has three
pictures on exhibition, will pay the city a vis
|